Week 3 - Politics of justice

Is justice political?

In popular media and writings, there is a common dichotomy which is often referred to in environmental situations. Nature v's people

This is a false dichotomy as 'people' does not relate to one type of person, one type of economic background, one social group. It is a multitude of different factors who have different opinions. 

Environmental justice is not about justice for nature, it is a fraught political terrain. 

Conservation of natural resources is a profoundly political process. The regulation of a group's access to and use of resources implies the existence of relations of power that will enable such regulation to take place (Seberwal and Rangarajan 2003, 4).

What do we mean by the politics of justice?

Refers to how problems are constructed in social discourse.
Distribution vs recognition. 

Recognition in society: 

• Acceptability of interest and viewpoints of particular social groups within social discourse
• Legitimisation and marginalisation of dominant and subordinate group interests
• Discourse creation, representation and framing
• Storyline's can enrol powerful institutions with profound unjust outcomes
• material/distributive aspects of justice intertwine with justice as recognition

Environmentalism

Environmentalism or Environmental rights is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental protection and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements.

A way of thinking politics and society based upon an understanding of environmental problems.

Nature-for-nationlism/Eco-nationalism - an influential breed of environmentalism in India. Deep colonial roots; development of national consciousness.

Eco-naturalism - uniquely Hindu construction of nature-people symbiosis. Lends itself easily to popular discourses to censure 'foreign domination'.  India has used the american way of conservation by bounding nature away from human use through national park status etc. this is often done via the use of gates, guards and guns and often the local people lose their connection with the nature they lived with.

Middle class environmentalism

Middle class environmentalism is an extremely influential discourse about environmental problems like pollution and the proper use of public spaces that is gaining ground in Indian cities.

Cows, cars and cycle-rickshaws: The Politics of Nature on the streets of Delhi (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOxtid-rrdo)

An example of this is shown in the you tube video. The main points are outlined below:

Who are the middle classes? - City dwellers who have salaries

How do they construct the problem of public order and public space? - Public health on the street, health and safety

What do they see as the biggest obstacles to solving these problems? - The cows of the urban village, rickshaw pullers and anyone who is blocking their way to getting home

What strategies do they resort to? - The courts, judicial system

Which groups are marginalised in the process and how? - Stall owners, cow owners, rickshaw pullers